Marie Antoinette had an idyllic childhood
It is safe to conclude that, by all accounts, Marie Antoinette had an exquisite childhood. The last of her mother's fifteen daughters, Marie Antoinette (born Maria Antonia; affectionately referred to by the family as "Antoine"), was raised by Maria Teresa, the Empress of Austria. What a mother she was. When Marie Antoinette was born, Maria Teresa was in the prime of her life. She had a lot of joyful years at Schonbrunn Palace with the strict yet adoring Empress, her affable father, Emperor Francis I, and her numerous brothers.
Marie Antoinette, according to biographer Antonia Fraser, delighted in the magnificent gardens and parks at Schloss Schonbrunn and Laxenburg (the family's vacation home, where the young archduchess discovered a love for the more straightforward pleasures in life). The young archduchess loved riding horses and spent the winter months sledding in a swan-shaped sleigh while wearing luxurious furs.
Paintings of the joyful family from this era show them with their cherished pets dogs, taking part in informal activities like dancing and music, and spending time together. For better or worse, Marie Antoinette's early experiences would influence her adult life and her reign as Queen of France.
